Was out driving tonight and noticed a late model Commodore with a standard issue plate (I think - 3 Letters, 3 numbers) but it was old school white on black. Are these readily available or some sort of option through a P-Plate?
curlcrown,
Jan 6, 7:29pm
A $4 can of black spray paint and a bit of sand paper.
rosiejoy,
Jan 6, 7:40pm
Oh. Classy.
jason18,
Jan 6, 9:00pm
Classy but not legal
franc123,
Jan 6, 9:30pm
It is perfectly legal to convert a govt issue black on white plate to aluminium on black, and even vice versa, it has been for about three years now.
robotnik,
Jan 6, 9:56pm
That exemption is only for pre-1987 cars which originally had the old fashioned plates installed. It would not apply to a newish Commodore.
esprit,
Jan 6, 10:53pm
Incorrect, not legal to alter plates in any way.
esprit,
Jan 7, 12:18am
It is only legal to re-use silver-on-black plates on an older car when re-registgering provided that:
- The plates were the original registration number used for that vehicle - Both plates are present and in good condition
It's not legal to modify a modern plate in any way.
You could probably get away with using an original set of black/silver plates if you registered a car with a personalised plate of the same registration number, but even then that's not strictly legal, although a cop would have to be pretty eagle-eyed to pick it.
jason18,
Jan 7, 3:43am
My old XA falcon had converted plates. He was told by the police its altering govt property and was illegal
socram,
Jan 7, 6:06am
Also illegal to get a set of plates made up (overseas) instead of the government issue. A $500 fine - which means it is far more dangerous than cell phone use when driving ($150).
nzdoug,
Jan 7, 6:20am
Police must enforce the law to protect "Personalised Plates" monopoly.
bashfulbro,
Jan 7, 6:22am
True, however , there are two different aims here. The $500 fine,is there because the government want to stop people doing it. The $150 fine is not to stop people doing it, it is there for the government to make money from it.
socram,
Jan 7, 6:42am
Like it! Very astute.
I already have personalized plates (bought when they were a reasonable price) but before the options for the European size was introduced.
I have a set of plates made up many years ago and they have been on the car since December 2002 when I first bought the car - but I do have one warning letter.
Part of the reason is apparently that the police believe that access to non-government plates leads to criminals getting them made up and stuck onto stolen cars. Can't disagree with that, though it is easy enough for them to check your details.
Personally, I don't see the problem if you own the personalised plate anyway and the ones you are using are still reflective and with a standard type-face.
I wrote to the Minister of Transport after getting the warning letter (I wasn't stopped by the police) and they said that they were looking at the rules. Meanwhile, as far as I know, it is still illegal to use them.
shuddupowh,
Jan 7, 9:05am
So according to post #9 that means people with a p-plate can do whatever they want with it then as its not Govt property.
vtecintegra,
Jan 7, 9:13am
The plates themselves probably still are - all you are buying is the right to display a certain combination on your car
cliffmate,
Jan 7, 10:18am
Any plate that isn't bought from an authorised NZ issuer is illegal. Regardless of font, colour or correctness of it. Ask the $150 fine sitting in my glove box from last week over my British number plate which was on my car until last week. Even though it matched my rego sticker and I had a camera fine in the mail (which means they can read it) one cop gave me a lecture about how I'm out to decive the world. The plate was white reflective background with black lettering on a euro plate, no other stickers or emblems. There was a letter written to "Classic Cars" magazine at the end of last year with the very same issue. I'm just glad my number plate fine helped reduce the road toll this summer. Edit -spelling.
franc123,
Jan 7, 10:39am
robotnik wrote: That exemption is only for pre-1987 cars which originally had the old fashioned plates installed. It would not apply to a newish Commodore.[/quote
Wrong. Not relevant
franc123,
Jan 7, 10:41am
Even more wrong than the post above it. Next.
socram,
Jan 7, 11:18am
Are you just going to pay the fine, or go to court - and then plead guilty?
One presumes that if you say you'll go to court, then they'll have to drag the police in to give evidence against you? We know you won't win, but there is always an outside chance they'll drop the charge!
esprit,
Jan 7, 11:20am
I work alongside the government and its authorised agent to maintain the documentation pertaining to all NZ and Australian licence plates. I generate all the documentation to sign off new licence plate designs. I can assure you I'm not wrong.
On British plates, there was an interesitng case a few years back in the case of TVR Griffiths, that had number plate lights that shone THROUGH the translucent UK plates (ie they were back-lit). The cars were complied for road use in NZ with these lights, yet then they were forced to use NZ plates (aluminium), and then hence did not have rear plate illumination.
I believe that the owners of these vehicles were granted a special dispensation to run the UK plates as a special case, but any further ones being imported would have to have conventional illuminators fitted.
cliffmate,
Jan 7, 1:03pm
I may do yet, deciding my options as the penalty severely outweighs the crime. I was paying attention to the cop taking all his photos so they have them as evidence. I had the original plates in the boot anyway so I changed them on the spot. I thought that would have satisfied him. That's an interesting comment about the TVR. Was it only the rear plates given dispensation?
esprit,
Jan 7, 1:18pm
Yes, was only the rear plates.
It was basically the NZTA doing a "mea culpa" because no matter what they did the car would not be legal without modification of the rear bodywork.
croco1,
Jan 7, 3:05pm
I saw a Ford Zephyr this afternoon driving thru New Plymouth with plates like that, old style silver / white on black with 3 letters plus 3 numbers.
esky-tastic,
Jan 7, 3:39pm
The $500 is to stop people having three cars with the same plates on and other monkey business lie that.
socram,
Jan 7, 4:57pm
H'mmm. I have heard that, but with ViN plates on most cars now, any suspicion is easily checked. I have heard of people with two identical cars plate swapping, but that begs the question, that if you can only use one at a time, the ACC risk (the major cost of a rego) is surely limited to one car?
Having one to Wof standard and the other not, I suppose is a distinct possibility, but as above, if stopped by the police and checked, anything not up to scratch can be ticketed anyway.
Off topic a bit, but haven't they now allowed stick on plates for cars such as E Type Jaguars, that came out in the UK when new, with stick on plates?
Was it Belgium that used to issue the plates to the driver rather than the car? Probably pre EU days of course.
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